The Prophecy of Seven
by abigailrose08
Summary: Annabeth Chase, a twenty one year old nursing assistant, just wanted to go home after a long day at the hospital. She never knew that she would soon be thrust into a world of Greek and Roman gods, half-bloods and monsters. (This story is a mix of Greek and Roman gods and characters from multiple books in the Percy Jackson universe; OOC majority of the story)
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Another long day was finally over. As I left the hospital all I could think about was a nice warm shower, my pajamas and a bottle of wine. Working as a nursing assistant was my dream job as I paid my way through college but some days were harder than others. Most twenty-one year olds would be getting ready to go out on a Friday night however my ten hour shift had quickly turned into thirteen as the unseasonably cold weather had caused a bus to skid on ice and crash into the median with fifty children on board. Overall it had been a rewarding day as all the children survived but my feet and head were throbbing from the effort.

As I walked down the street toward the D.C. metro I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Discreetly I looked over my right shoulder and then my left but saw no one around. With a growing sense of unease I walked as fast as I could towards the metro station without falling on the ice. I let out a sigh of relief as I came around the corner and saw the sign with the large M which would lead me home. Five steps from the escalator it happened. In an instant I knew someone or something was behind me but before I could turn there was a loud whooshing sound and something slammed into the back of my head. Instant darkness.

 _Cold._ All I could feel was the unbearable cold that was seeping through my entire body. As I slowly regained consciousness I could feel that I was on my back with my wrists and ankles bound to hard stone. The next thing I felt was the intense throbbing in my skull and what felt like dried blood covering the left side of my hair and face. Opening my eyes I found myself in a small chamber that was dimly light giving off an eerie vibe. The terror began to build as I realized the room was in fact a crypt and the only thing covering my freezing body was a white silk sheet. Was I even still in Washington D.C.? I began to struggle furiously with the manacles but they didn't budge. Should I scream? Or would that alert my captor that I was awake? How long had it been since I was taken? Would anyone notice I was gone? No, that question I knew was futile. I lived alone in a small studio apartment near Georgetown, my only friends were acquaintances at work and I had broken up with my boyfriend only a few days ago. My mother was dead and I had never known my father. I had never felt more alone until this point as I realized no one would miss me for at least three days when I didn't show up for work. Silent tears began to stream down my face and I tried to remain calm and quiet.

After a few minutes of trying to think of a way out I began to hear something in the distance. At first I thought it was the throbbing in my own head but then I realized I was in fact hearing footsteps heading in my direction. With difficulty I tried to control my breathing and pretend I was still unconscious. With my eyes shut tightly I heard the door bang open and heavy footsteps make their way slowly across the room to where I was bound.

"I know you can hear me, sweetheart," said a low a voice so close to my ear that it made me jump. Chuckling the man brushed my hair back from face.

"Time to open your eyes, we have so much to talk about."

Slowly I opened my eyes and stifled a scream as I looked into his face. He was a handsome man with a thin but strong build but it was his eyes that maybe me shake in terror. They were dark brown almost black and stared down at me like a predator about to devour his prey. He was dressed in jeans and a leather jacket but he seemed to be more than a normal man. He emanated power.

"There we go, now we can have a nice long talk." "What is your name?"

"Annabeth," I whispered, seeing no point in remaining silent.

"Well Annabeth, I have been searching for you for quite some time. My name is Caligula."

The name seemed familiar but I couldn't place it. I knew I had read it somewhere but with the throbbing in my head it was hard to concentrate.

"What do you want from me?" I asked. "I don't have a lot of money but I can give you whatever you want. I promise not to say anything about this to anyone. My husband will be looking for me."

Caligula let out a humorless chuckle. "My dear, you are a horrible liar. We both know no one is going to miss you. I do not want or need your money but you do have something I want. "Actually," he said, gazing up and down my body as I struggled against the manacles, "now that I know what you look like you might be useful in more ways than I thought."

Slowly he reached up and began to slowly drag the sheet down my body.

Despite my resolve to not show weakness I began to beg for him to stop. "Please don't do this. Please let me go."

"My dear this is only the beginning," Caligula said as he began to caress my body. "Your body may entertain me for awhile but what I really want is your power."

He laughed at my look of bewilderment as he continued to trail his hands down my body.

"You don't know what you are?" he asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about you freak. Get your disgusting hands off me," I screamed.

His smile turned into sneer as he backhanded me hard across the face.

"No need to be rude, sweetheart. You're testing my patience. I can only be nice for so long."

Dizzy and near blacking out again I prayed to every god I could think of as Caligula began to remove his leather jacket.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

No. I couldn't watch what was happening. As I continued to cry and struggle I closed my eyes tight trying to block out everything.

"Open your eyes, sweetheart. You don't want to miss the fun," said Caligula as he slowly began to drag his fingers down my body.

"Get away from her," said a deep voice from the other side of the crypt.

My eyes snapped open as I turned my head toward the new voice. A young man was standing in the corner with his sword drawn, glaring at Caligula. The man was around my age, tall and muscular with black hair and even in the dim light I could see his green eyes shining with hatred as he stared at my captor.

If Caligula was surprised he didn't show it.

"Ahhh another half-blood. You must be Percy Jackson. I've heard so much about you and your abilities. In fact, you were next on my list of half-bloods to capture but it seems like you've made my job a lot easier by coming here tonight. You're a little early though, I was just starting with Annabeth here," said Caligula as he smiled down at me and caressed my cheek.

For the first time since arriving, the man looked directly into my eyes. The anger in his own face seemed to double as he saw my fear and shame as I lay completely exposed on the table. Faster than I thought possible Percy launched himself over the stone table and brought his sword slashing down onto Caligula's head. He was moving so fast there was no way that Caligula could still be alive but somehow he managed to side step Percy's attack while grabbing his own sword which I hadn't noticed was around his waist. Despite the blow Percy turned on the spot and began to attack Caligula with such ferocity it was hard to even see what was going on.

"Do you really think you can beat me in battle?" said Caligula as he continued to dodge Percy's sword. "I am a god."

Suddenly there was a loud clanking sound and I looked down to see my right wrist and ankle were free. Percy must have sliced through the manacles while he continued to fight. I quickly rolled over to try to free my left side as they continued.

A few moments later with another loud crack the manacles on my left side were also broken. I struggled up trying to get my frozen limbs working again. With as much strength as I could muster I jumped off the stone table and ran for the nearest door. In my fear I didn't see Caligula knock Percy to the ground on his way towards me.

"Where do you think you're going you little slut?" said Caligula as he slammed the butt of his sword into the back of my head. As I fell to the ground I heard a roar of rage echo through the crypt. I could feel the darkness creeping up again but with my last remaining strength I looked up in time to see Percy drive his sword into Caligula's gut.

As I sank into darkness I could hear Percy saying, "No, please stay with me. It's okay, I won't let anything happen to you."

* * *

I dreamed I was sailing across the sea in a large ship. It was a beautiful sunny day on the water but I was cold and terrified. Scanning the horizon I began to see shapes moving in and out of the water. As I sailed closer I saw that the shapes were bodies floating in the water. Men, women, and children were floating face up with their eyes closed but their mouths open in a silent scream. As I continued to gaze down at a small girl her eyes opened and she screamed.

"Why didn't you save us?!"

With a jolt I awoke. I was lying in the most comfortable bed I had ever been in. Looking around I saw I was in a large bright room that was completely filled with empty beds like my own. It reminded me of the hospital but warmer and more inviting. What had happened? The last thing I remember was running for the door and feeling an intense pain on the back of my head. Reaching up I felt my skull. It was still tender but seemed to be healing quickly. I also noticed the blood and dirt had been cleaned of my head and body. _Percy._ He must've brought me here.

I needed to find him and find out where I was. I threw off the sheets, stood up and almost fell over.

"Whoa whoa whoa. Where do you think you're going?" said a kind voice behind me.

Looking up I saw a man my age looking down at me as he grasped my arm. He was a few inches taller than my 5'9" frame, sandy blonde hair and a soft smile.

"Lay back down and I will get you some more nectar."

"Who are you? Where am I?" I asked as I slowly laid back against the pillows.

"My name is Will Solace and you are in the infirmary at Camp Half Blood in New York. You were brought to me early this morning with a severe concussion and hypothermia. The nectar seems to be working well. In fact, I've never seen someone heal as quickly as you have." He stared at me curiously.

"I've always been a quick healer. I don't know why. Maybe that's what sparked my interest in nursing. What's nectar?" I said all of this quickly. My patience was wearing thin.

"Nectar, in small amounts, can heal demigods. It is dangerous to drink too much as it will incinerate you," said Will as he handed me a cup.

"Incineration, sounds lovely," I said as I took the cup and slowly took a sip. It tasted like my mother's hot apple cider that she used to make every winter.

With the thought of my mother comforting me I slowly sipped the rest of the nectar as Will checked the back of my head.

"Percy mentioned that you had been umm naked when he found you. Is there anywhere else you'd like me to check for injuries?" Will said solemnly as he gazed down at me.

Blushing I gave him a sad smile. "Thank you, Will but he didn't get that far."

Will let out a breath and continued. "Well in that case I think you will be okay after another day here in the infirmary. I'll tell Percy that you're awake. I forced him to leave about a few hours ago to get some sleep since he had been at your bedside since you arrived this morning."

"Not to be rude but can Percy maybe explain what the hell is going on?" I asked. "I was kidnapped from the street in Washington D.C., woke up with an evil god in a crypt, and then saved by a guy who calls himself a half-blood."

"I'll have Percy explain everything once he gets here. Don't worry, this is the safest place in the world for someone like you and between you and me if I wanted one person to be looking after me I would definitely choose Percy Jackson."

With a smile Will turned and left the room.

* * *

Thank you for reading!

-Abigail Rose


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

As I sat in the infirmary waiting for Percy the reality of what happened began to sink in. It was impossible to believe that gods and demi-gods were real but for some reason I believed everything Will had told me. I had always had a knack for healing and comforting people but maybe it was more than just skill. As Will had said earlier I healed faster than any normal person would. When I was working in the hospital I rarely lost a patient and if I did it was because they arrived too late for anyone to help. I was told I had a calming presence but as I continued to think about it it seemed that I was able to soothe people by just talking to them or touching their arm.

With a jolt I realized I had been "gone" from the real world for two days now but didn't feel the urge to reach out to anyone to tell them I was okay. I didn't really care about my co-workers and I had no one else. My ex-boyfriend surely didn't care about me. I wondered now if I never got close to other people because deep down I knew I was different. Why hadn't my mother ever told me about my father? Despite being an only child my mom and I had never been close but how could she keep this from me? She had passed away three years ago when her car had driven off a cliff. The police had said it was an accident but I knew she had been drunk just like every other day since I could remember.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" said a voice in the doorway drawing me out of my thoughts. I looked up quickly to answer but my voice caught in my throat. Percy was no longer in his armor but was wearing jeans and a simple blue t-shirt. Even through my fear while in the crypt I had noticed he was handsome but now I saw that he was gorgeous. Tan, muscular and at least 6'4" with a boyish grin on his face. I couldn't stop staring into his green eyes. Realizing that I was gaping at him I shook my head slightly and blushed.

"Oh umm hi, I'm feeling much better. Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" I asked quickly trying to hide my embarrassment.

"Caligula? No he didn't," said Percy as he walked over and sat in a chair next to my bed. I was very aware of the fact that I was wearing only a thin nightgown and a simple white robe.

"Thank you for saving me and killing him. I'm not usually a violent person but that man radiated evil," I said as I fumbled with the blankets.

Percy looked at me with an expression of sadness and guilt. "I'm sorry Annabeth but he's not dead. I may have hurt him but he will heal quickly and come after us again. The only way to fully kill him is do so in his own territory."

My hands began to shake. "I… I don't understand. I saw you stab him with your sword… How can he be alive? Where is his territory?" I demanded angrily.

"We don't know the exact location but we believe it is somewhere in Rome."

"Rome? As in Rome, Italy? Does the camp allow half-bloods to travel to other countries? I'd like to be on the trip," I said quickly and to my surprise Percy let out a small chuckle.

"Annabeth you have no training and Rome is one of the most dangerous locations for half-bloods. Caligula has amassed an army of monsters that live in and around the city. Besides we need a prophecy to be read before anyone can even think of leaving the camp."

"I don't give a fuck about a prophecy," I said furiously. "I was kidnapped from my home, chained up in some crypt and almost raped."

Percy looked taken aback by my outburst but he nodded solemnly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh. How about this, I promise to help you get situated at camp and start your training so if a prophecy is read in the future that allows you to go you'll be ready."

I was still angry but I nodded in agreement. I knew he was right. I needed training in order to survive. Caligula had an army of monsters and all I was good at was healing scrapes and bruises.

"Let me show you around the camp and explain more about what's going on. I brought you clothes to change into until we're able to send a satyr to your home to pick up some of your things. Piper is a little shorter than you but I think they'll fit," said Percy as he handed me a bag I hadn't noticed he was holding.

"I'll wait outside," said Percy as he got up to leave.

"Thank you," I said quietly. I was embarrassed for yelling at him but still angry.

Percy nodded and walked out of the door.

Pulling the curtains around my bed closed I quickly pulled of my robe and nightgown and looked into the bag. There was a pair of jeans, a black tank top, bra and underwear. I quickly slipped into the clothes and found that they fit me almost perfectly. Glancing back in the bag I also found socks and black boots that I quickly slipped on. The boots were a little tight but they would work for now.

I made a quick stop in the bathroom to look in the mirror and grimaced. Even though the blood was gone and I was healing quickly, I still had a large black and blue bruise on my cheek where Caligula had backhanded me. The exhaustion of the past two days showed in the my gray eyes. I tried not to think about the way he had touched me but I could almost feel this fingers dragging down my body as I looked into the mirror. My long blonde hair was in knots but knowing there wasn't much I could do until I had a proper shower, I ran my fingers through it the best I could and headed outside.

"Ready?" said Percy smiling at me as we walked down the hill towards the other campers.

* * *

I wasn't sure what I had been expecting, maybe crude tents and weirdos fighting with fake swords, but Camp Half-blood was certainly not that. Cabins of all different sizes and architecture were spread throughout the valley. Campers were wandering in and out of the cabins, some wearing jeans and t-shirts, some in full battle armor. Percy pointed out each cabin as we passed.

"That's Ares cabin over there, be careful walking past, they like to set up land mines for fun. And that over there is the Aphrodite and Apollo cabins."

"What cabin do you live in?" I asked realizing that I didn't know who Percy's godly parent was.

"I'm the son of Poseidon. I live in the cabin down there that overlooks the sound." Gazing down the valley I saw a gorgeous gray stone cabin that was covered in what appeared to be seashells and coral.

I smiled thinking that of course Percy's dad was one of the most powerful Greek gods. I would've been shocked if he had said anyone other than Poseidon or Zeus.

"What I don't understand is how do I know who my godly parent even is?" I asked. "Do they come down and tell you in person?" The idea of this was terrifying but secretly I had always wanted to meet my dad in person.

"It is very rare for gods to speak to their children except in dreams. Most demigods are claimed here at camp but others wait years to find out. If you aren't claimed you live in the Hermes cabin." Percy pointed to the oldest looking cabin. It looked shabby compared to the others but Annabeth guessed it was because it was the most crowded.

As they continued to walk Percy explained how most campers were brought here by satyrs whose job were to search for demigods in need and bring them to safety. They walked past the stables where Percy said hello to the horses. "Do you speak to animals?" I asked jokingly. "Yes, said Percy seriously, I can speak to horses and any sea creature." Laughing at the shocked look on my face we continued walking towards what appeared to be the training area.

"This the archery field, over there is the sword fighting arena and climbing wall. The amphitheater is over there next to the armory," said Percy as he pointed to each location. "Tomorrow someone will take you around to try different weapons and styles of fighting. For now it's almost time for dinner."

As they made their way to the dining pavilion my thoughts were racing. What if I'm never claimed? The Hermes cabin hadn't been very appealing. The thought of learning to fight had seemed great when I was angry but now as I looked at the campers training I was terrified. I can't fight, I'm just a nursing assistant I thought miserably. Sure I'm pretty strong and athletic but there's a huge different between being a good runner and brandishing a sword.

As Percy and I entered the dinning Pavilion many of the campers looked up curiously. Even if they didn't know what happened in the crypt, I knew Percy wasn't the type to brag, they did know that I had been brought here late last night.

"Come on," said Percy as he ignored the stares, "I want to introduce you to Chiron the Camp Director." I followed Percy through the tables to the back of the room. I let out a gasp of surprise when I saw that Chiron was in fact a centaur. I wasn't sure my brain could take much more of this.

"Hello Chiron, this is Annabeth Chase," said Percy cheerfully.

"Hello Annabeth, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm glad you are feeling better," said Chiron as we shook hands.

"Thank you, Director. I'm glad to be here," I said.

"Please call me Chiron. Has Percy explained everything about the camp?"

"Yes. Well I still have about a hundred questions but it's hard to concentrate," I said smiling at Percy.

"That is to be expected, my dear. Please enjoy your dinner and I would like speak with you tomorrow regarding what happened in the crypt," said Chiron.

I nodded with a sad smile as Percy and I turned to sit at one of the tables that was only partially full.

I was just sitting down next to Percy and a pretty brunette girl when a large gasp echoed throughout the pavilion. Looking around I saw everyone staring at me. Confused I looked up to see something gold shining above my head. It took me a few seconds but I realized it was a large golden lyre.

Percy looked at me and smiled. "I should've know. Annabeth, daughter of Apollo."

* * *

Thank you for reading!

\- abigailrose


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Apollo. The god of healing, music, the sun and light. How had I not guessed before? It seemed so clear now and I smiled.

"You must be very powerful. Not many gods claim their children this quickly," said Percy.

"Caligula told me that was the reason he took me," I said quietly. "He wanted to use my power."

Percy looked at me in shock but didn't say anything. We were surrounded by campers that were trying to eavesdrop on our conversation including the three campers sitting at our table.

"Daughter of Apollo, huh?" said the guy sitting directly across from me. He was Latino with a small build and curly black hair.

"Sorry," said Percy realizing he hadn't introduced me to anyone. "Annabeth this is my friend Leo. He's a son of Hephaestus." Leo waved and smiled at me mischievously. "And this here is my friend Frank, son of Ares," said Percy addressing the guy sitting next to him. Frank was of Asian descent, large and stocky but with a babyface. Frank waved good-naturedly at Annabeth.

"And I'm Piper, daughter of Aphrodite," said the girl on my left side. She was gorgeous, with brown, choppy hair and a bright smile.

I smiled back. "Thank you so much for the clothes. I'm loving these black boots."

"No problem," said Piper. Annabeth had expected a daughter of Aphrodite to be up tight and covered in makeup and designer clothing but Piper was a natural beauty wearing jeans, boots and a "Rolling Stones" t-shirt.

"So what happened last night?" asked Leo quietly. Percy glanced at me and I nodded. I had just met Leo, Piper and Frank but I knew I could trust them. If they were friends with Percy I knew they were good people. Percy began to explain everything that had happened in the crypt from finding me with Caligula to bringing me to the camp. I realized with a start that I had never asked him how we even got from Washington D.C. to New York. Percy explained how he had called for his pegasus Blackjack and we had flown as fast as we could back to camp. Of course he had a Pegasus I thought sarcastically. That's not crazy at all. I realized after he was done with the story he had left out what Caligula had done to me and I smiled at him gratefully.

"So Caligula is kidnapping demigods in order to steal their power? How can he even steal someone's power?" asked Piper nervously.

"I have no idea," said Percy, "but if he's found a way then we are in more trouble than we thought."

"But why would he need to steal a demigod's power?" I said. "I remember him saying that he is a god."

"He's not a real god. He was an evil Roman emperor and somehow he has come back from the dead. He thinks he is invincible," said Frank.

"I'm confused. Isn't this a Greek camp? Are Greek gods different than Roman gods?" I asked.

"Well technically yes they are different but both Greek and Roman gods exist. For example Zeus was known as Jupiter to the Romans. They're similar but have some personality differences. Since we are Greek we see the gods in their Greek form but Chiron has mentioned that if you're Roman you see them in their Roman form," explained Percy.

I could feel a headache forming just trying to understand what he meant.

"Caligula is one of the most powerful Roman emperors that ever lived but he is not a god. I think he's obsessed with becoming immortal and is therefore looking to take our power to do so," continued Percy.

"That is terrifying," said Leo simply as a woman brought BBQ, fruit, and cheese to our table. With a start I realized she looked like a birch tree.

"Um who, uh what?" I said staring at the woman.

"Oh it's okay, she's a dryad. They serve the food here," said Piper gently.

"Right, of course," I said. Piper chuckled.

With everything going on I hadn't realized how hungry I was. I filled my plate with chicken, ribs, cheese and strawberries and began to eat so fast that Percy laughed. I blushed but told him to shut up and continued shoveling food into my mouth. Everything was delicious.

"Can I join you?" said a new voice. A guy had walked up to our table looking uncomfortable and shy.

"Of course," said Piper smiling as she looked up. "You must be Jason. You arrived five days ago, right? You're a son of Zeus?"

"Yes," said Jason looking relieved, "Grover the satyr brought me here and apparently my dad is not an accountant like my mom used to tell."

Piper laughed and introduced everyone at the table as Jason smiled kindly. He was about the same size and build as Percy but with blonde hair and icy blue eyes. Piper couldn't stop staring.

As everyone at the table continued to eat and talk I couldn't help but smile. I noticed Percy looking at me.

"Are you feeling okay?" he asked quietly so only I could here.

"Yes, it's nice to have friends," I said simply. Percy smiled at me and nudged my shoulder playfully.

After we finished dinner Piper offered to take me to the camp store to pick up bathroom supplies, sheets, pillows and blankets for my room and to lend me a few outfits.

"Thank you again," I said as we walked towards the Apollo cabin.

"No problem, one of the satyrs will come by tomorrow to see what items you need picked up from your apartment," said Piper. "I normally have breakfast around 8:00am if you'd like to meet me then. I can get you fitted into some gear and we can get started on your training."

"That sounds great," I said.

We said goodbye at the Apollo cabin and I walked inside. The cabin was nothing like I expected. From the outside it looked like a simple brown cabin but inside it was massive. There was a large sitting room where ten campers were lounging around, reading and talking. I could see a long hallway with doors on either side and a large staircase leading to the upper floor. From the outside the cabin didn't even look big enough for two floors. The cabin was clean and well lit giving it a cozy feeling.

"Hey! Welcome, sis," said Will as he came around the corner. "I knew you had to be a daughter of Apollo. I'd love to have you in the infirmary if you're interested. Let me show you to your room." Will took some of the stuff I was carrying and headed up the stairs.

"You have the room here at the end," Will said as we walked down the hall. "I'm head of the Apollo cabin so if you need anything just let me know. Quiet hours start at 10:00pm and your room must be kept clean or the harpies get pissed."

"Harpies?" I asked in a small voice.

"Don't worry, they hardly ever eat campers," said Will nonchalantly. "I'm sure you're exhausted so I'll introduce you to everyone tomorrow."

"Thank you," I said gratefully.

Will said goodnight and walked back down the hall. Opening the door I looked around at my new room. It was small but clean with a double bed in the middle, a desk and chair, a small dresser and connecting bathroom. It was more than I had hoped for and I was happy to have my own space.

I grinned as I saw the small shower in the bathroom. I quickly arranged my supplies and turned on the shower as hot as it could go. I stood under the water for a long time enjoying the feel of it down my back and tried unsuccessfully not to think. I had been so distracted by meeting everyone and learning about the camp that I hadn't realized how much effort it had taken to not break down completely. Standing in the shower I let out a loud sob as I sank to the floor. I could still feel where he had touched me and kept replaying everything he said in my head. I sat in the shower for what felt like hours but eventually I felt better. I thought of Percy and my new friends Piper, Jason, Frank and Leo. I knew I could get through this with their help. I finished showering and put on my borrowed pajamas. I made the bed with the new sheets and blankets and climbed in. I thought I would never be able to fall asleep but my body was beyond exhausted and I passed out almost immediately.

* * *

I was walking through a strange city I'd never been to before. Looking at the architecture I realized it must be Rome. A cold feeling crept over me as I realized that I was completely alone, no humans, monsters, or animals were anywhere to been seen and the city was silent. Scared I began to run until I saw a large building looming before me. This must be the Pantheon I thought. I had seen it in pictures before. As I ran into the building I heard a soft male voice whisper, "This is where your journey begins." I looked around for the voice but the scene changed. I was back in the crypt but this time I wasn't chained to the stone. I walked around the crypt trying to find the exit but there wasn't one. As I started to panic I saw Percy walk in.

"Thank the gods," I said. "Do you know the way out?"

Percy smiled at me evilly and spoke in Caligula's voice. "Hello sweetheart, back so soon? Did you really think you could escape me that easily? I will find you and when I do I will take what is mine as you scream for mercy."

I tried to run but my legs weren't working. Percy continued to laugh as he slowly walked towards me. When he was only inches away I screamed and jolted awake.

* * *

Thank you for reading :)

-abigailrose


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Just a dream I said to myself over and over. As I sat up and turned on the light I realized I was shaking and drenched in sweat. It seemed so real. Percy had mentioned that on rare occasions the gods spoke to their children in dreams. Had the voice in the Pantheon been Apollo? Glancing at my watch I saw that it was 6:00am. Knowing that I would never be able to go back to sleep I decided to go for a walk to clear my head. I dressed quickly and silently slipped out of the cabin.

* * *

As I walked around the camp with no real destination in mind I replayed the dream over and over. Someone or something wanted me to come to Rome and begin a journey. I wondered if it had anything to do with my previous dream of the bodies floating in the water. If I went to Rome could I save them? As I wandered I took in the beauty of the camp as the sky began to lighten. The strawberry fields were exploding with the ripe fruit and the grass shone with early morning dew. After walking around the camp for over an hour I found myself at one of the training arenas.

I stood gazing at the arena thinking about how I would start my training today. All of the sudden I felt a rush of cold air and yelped as a young man appeared out of the shadows right next to me.

"Sorry," he murmured in a quiet voice, "I didn't mean to startle you." He was my size, slim with long black hair and sad eyes.

"It's okay," I said trying not to show how much he had frightened me. "My name is Annabeth."

"Nico," he said as he shook my hand.

Nico was wearing black jeans, a black leather jacket and holding a terrifying looking sword that was unlike one I'd ever seen. Despite this, I wasn't intimidated by him. He reminded me of the way my mom looked during the days when she couldn't even get out of bed.

"I didn't mean to interrupt your training. I'll let you continue," I said as I turned to walk away.

"Wait… I mean no it's okay, you're not interrupting. I was just finishing," Nico said quickly trying to sound casual. I could tell that he wanted someone to talk to but was too proud or shy to ask.

"Do you normally train this early in the morning?" I asked staring at his sword.

"Yes, I like to be out of the way. It's just easier that way," he said.

I stared at him in confusion.

"I'm a son of Hades. People respect me because of who my dad is but most people are afraid of me," he said quietly.

"I don't see what your father has to do with it. You're your own person and your family doesn't define who you are," I said fiercely. I had grown up with people constantly making fun of me for not having a dad and living with a mother who was bipolar and suffered from depression. I knew what it was like to suffer for something I couldn't control.

Nico looked at me in surprise and a small smile spread across his face. He looked much younger when he smiled.

"Hmm and you don't think that my power to summon and command the dead is scary?" he asked with raised eyebrows.

"I mean your power is scary as shit," I said chuckling, "But that doesn't mean you're a bad person or that you would use it to hurt anyone. That's a choice you have to make."

Nico smiled even wider. "Well then if you ever need a friend to summon a dead army for you, let me know. I'll see you later," he said as he started to walk away. Before I could say goodbye he vanished into the shadows.

Well that was incredibly weird I thought as a I started walking towards the pavilion for breakfast. Nico had been quite an interesting person but I was happy to have just made a new, slightly scary, friend. Laughing to myself I walked into the pavilion and searched for Piper. Today was going to be a long day.

* * *

After breakfast with Piper we made our way to the armory. "You need full battle armor and a weapon," Piper explained as we walked in. On one side of the armory stood rows of clothing racks filled with armor and workout clothing that I assumed was worn under the armor. Behind the racks there appeared to be a changing room.

"Do you always wear the armor to train?" I asked seeing how bulky it was.

"No, you only need it for real battle but most demigods don't wear it on quests either. For training I normally wear leggings and a tight long sleeve shirt. It's good to cover your arms and legs to avoid getting minor cuts and between you and me these leggings make your butt look amazing," she said with a grin as she threw a couple pairs at me. Laughing I went into change. I had chosen a pair of long dark gray leggings and a navy blue long sleeve shirt. Piper was right, this training outfit was very flattering.

"Perfect! Percy is going to stare at you for even longer than he normally does," said Piper mischievously as I came out of the changing room.

"What are you talking about?" I asked blushing.

"Oh please, he's obsessed with you," said Piper.

"I highly doubt that," I said, "he's strong, intelligent, and gorgeous. I'm sure he just sees me as the needy new girl."

"Annabeth, you're just as powerful and smart as he is and not to mention gorgeous. I'm pretty sure half of the males in the pavilion were staring at you at breakfast this morning."

I shook my head at this but smiled. Piper was being ridiculous. I was not powerful and no one had ever told me I was beautiful, not even my ex-boyfriend.

"Anyways," I said trying to change the subject, "do I get to choose a weapon?"

"Yes, every demigod has their own weapon ranging from a dagger to 9-foot long spear. My dagger is called Katoptris. I don't fight often because my power is charmspeak," Piper said as she pulled out her dagger to show me.

"What is charmspeak?" I asked curiously.

"It's an Aphrodite thing. I can convince people to do things like give me their car or jump off a building," she said calmly.

"Wow, that's so cool but also terrifying," I said admiringly.

Piper laughed. "Don't worry I never use it on my friends. It's very taxing so I save it for my enemies."

As I began to pick up daggers, swords, spears, and even a hammer nothing felt right in my hands. Towards the end of the weapon rack was a large golden bow and arrow. I was drawn to it immediately. I picked it up gingerly and admired it closely.

"Normally demigods are trained with swords or daggers to start with but I think we can make an exception with you being a daughter of Apollo. You should still choose a sword so you can practice. All demigods must know how to sword fight even if it isn't their strength," said Piper as she smiled at me.

I practiced pulling the string of the bow back without the arrows and knew that this weapon was perfect. It fit my body perfectly. Grinning I set the bow down next to the arrows and picked out a simple sword from the rack. It didn't feel like the bow did in my arms but it was better than the other swords that had seemed to bulky.

"Great, let me change into my training gear and we'll head out. You'll be starting with sword training this morning," said Piper. Piper quickly changed into a pair of black leggings and a white long sleeve shirt. She had strapped a sword to her waist along with her dagger. Before we left Piper handed me a pair of black boots similar to the ones I was borrowing. They fit me perfectly.

"Alright, let's do this before I chicken out," I said nervously. Piper laughed and we left the armory.

* * *

I was extremely nervous as we entered the sword fighting arena. There was a group of twenty demigods already waiting in similar outfits to what Piper and I had on. They stood confidently with their swords but I felt like an idiot with mine. I had no idea how to even hold a sword and my arms were already tired.

"Hey Piper, hey Annabeth," said a friendly voice and I turned. Jason was striding towards Piper and I with a shy smile on his face. We both waved and said hi as he came over.

"Training with us today?" said Piper as she smiled up at him.

"Yes, over the past couple of days I've discovered that I'm absolutely terrible at archery and anything to do with music and arts and crafts but I do have some skill with the sword."

"Some skill? You're a natural," said a new voice behind me. I turned and saw Percy walking towards us. He stopped for a second when he saw me. He seemed to be staring at me as if he didn't know who I was. Piper gave me a knowing smile.

"Hey man," said Jason, "Are you here to train too?"

"I'm actually teaching the class today," said Percy smiling.

 _Fuck._ Not only was I going to make a complete ass of myself in front of everyone, Percy was the teacher.


End file.
